The Ultimate Animal Quiz

Furry or fragile, swift or slovenly, airborne or cave dwelling, animal is the generic name of a vast and varied group of creatures on our planet Earth. How are these creatures similar and in what ways are they different? Test your knowledge about animals by taking this quiz.

Start Quiz »

You scored

0 out of 20

Question 1 of 20

What is the branch of biology called that is devoted to the study of animals?

entomology

zoology

The word is zoology, and this area of science covers the study of all things in the animal kingdom.

mammalogy

Question 2 of 20

How many living species of animals have been identified?

more than one million

A whopping one million species have been identified -- and don't forget, we're referring to generic species, not animals within sub-species.

more than 10 million

more than 100 million

Question 3 of 20

What has led scientists to conclude that there were signs of early animal life 700 million years ago?

The fifth one is fungi. These five kingdoms cover all types of living organisms.

Question 5 of 20

Why is it sometimes difficult to determine which kingdom an organism belongs to?

because this is still a new field and scientists are studying it all the time

because the organism is little known

because it may possess traits from more than one classification

Each kingdom is distinguishable by the traits of those within its classification, but some organisms possess traits from more than one kind.

Question 6 of 20

One of the characteristics that makes an organism an "animal" is that it:

is mobile during at least one phase of its life

It has to be able to move about under its own power (be mobile) during a stage of its life, unlike plants and fungi.

has fur, claws, paws, fins or blubber

can manufacture its own food through the processing of organic or inorganic matter

Question 7 of 20

Which of these systems are present in all animals?

organ, muscular and skeletal systems

digestive, circulatory and respiratory systems

both of the above

Many bodily systems are present in all members of the animal kingdom. Those NOT mentioned yet include: integumentary, immune, excretory, endocrine, nervous and reproductory systems.

Question 8 of 20

What is the name of the group of animals whose bodies are adapted to climbing trees and whose hands are prehensile?

amphibians

primates

They're called primates. This group includes apes, monkeys and lemurs.

reptiles

Question 9 of 20

How do the structures of animal bodies lend themselves to protection from predators?

They possess something called adaptations, each animal with its own color, size, shape, etc. allowing itself protection.

All animals possess adaptations. Each animal has its own adaptation in the form of camouflage, size, body shape or whatever, that protects it from predators.

They have the characteristic of camouflage.

They all have venom or spikes, which affords them protection.

Question 10 of 20

When warm-blooded animals enter an inactive state during the cold, we say they are:

nesting

adapting

hibernating

This phenomenon is particular to warm-blooded creatures and it's called hibernating. They can do this because of their ability to adapt to environmental change.

Question 11 of 20

How far do some whales migrate for breeding purposes?

5,000 miles (8,050 kms)

11,000 miles (18,000 kms)

They will migrate as far as 11,000 miles (18,000 kms) to find warmer waters for breeding.

18,000 (29,000 kms)

Question 12 of 20

Which of these seek out caves for sleeping and raising their young?

antelopes and deer

wombats and kangaroos

bears and bats

Bears and bats both instinctively choose this form of shelter for sleeping and raising young.

Question 13 of 20

In what way do some animals help plants to reproduce?

They leave manure and droppings around and this generates plant reproduction.

They carry pollen from flower to flower to facilitate fertilization or they may spread seeds by carrying them in their fur.

Some animals, such as birds and bees, carry pollen from flower to flower and this facilitates fertilization. Other animals spread seeds around by carrying them on their bodies or in their fur.

They don't; this is a myth.

Question 14 of 20

Termites and ants are social insects with a high degree of social organization. How is their inherent "caste" system recognized?

Each caste has its own lifespan and reproductive cycle.

Each caste differs in body structure and performs different tasks.

Termites and ants have a discernible system of hierarchy. In this system, each caste has its own body structure and performs its own tasks.

Each caste is independent of the other and feeds on different foods.

Question 15 of 20

When certain animals share a particular interrelationship, we call this symbiosis. Examples of symbiosis are mutualism, commensalism and parasitism. Which of these "isms" reflects the type of interrelationship whereby only one side benefits and the other isn't harmed?

mutualism

commensalism

Commensalism. A good example of this is barnacles that live on the backs of whales at no expense or harm to the whales themselves.

parasitism

Question 16 of 20

Which of these is the best definition of the term ethology?

the study of animal behavior

Ethology is the study of animal behavior.

the study of early life forms

the study of predatory animals

Question 17 of 20

If you place tempting food before a satiated animal, will it eat?

yes, usually

rarely

In most cases, the animal will not be tempted to eat because it is satiated already. This is part of its instinctive food drive -- the drive to eat until satiation.

absolutely not

Question 18 of 20

What senses are used for communication between animals?

sight, taste and smell

sight, smell and sound

The senses of sight (vision), smell (scent) and sound (hearing) are all used for communication between animals.

smell, touch and sound

Question 19 of 20

In ancient times, how were some animals treated in certain societies?

They were experimented on.

They were worshipped as gods.

In certain ancient societies, animals were worshipped as gods. An example of this is ancient Egypt, which worshipped the cat and the lamb.

They were hunted as food.

Question 20 of 20

What type of animals is most harmful to humans?

reptiles

jungle animals

those that carry or cause disease

Animals that carry or cause disease are the most harmful to humans, causing thousands of deaths per year.